Confidentiality will be assured to any who wish to give evidence to the independent review into Australia's performance in the pool at London 2012, extending to team culture and allegations of swimmer-to-swimmer bullying and pranks that allegedly included the use of banned sleep aid Stilnox by male sprinters.

Todd Balym reports in News Limited papers today that former federal sports minister Warwick Smith, at the helm of the review, will be joined by Olympic champions Kieren Perkins and Petria Thomas, former swimming board member Tim Ford and AIS head Matthew Favier.

"In seeking stakeholders' views, the review panel will instigate a process to ensure participants can submit their views confidentially if required in order to receive frank and open input to assist in the panel's deliberations," the terms of reference say, notes Balym.

"It is clear that if Swimming Australia is to sustain high standards of success in an increasingly competitive environment, it must critically assess its high performance programs and the governance structures and administration that underpin them," the terms assert.